Air vehicle



Fei). 16, 1937. w BQYES 2,070,854

AIR VEHICLE Original FiIled Jan. :5, 1929 I'LEEDEE [N VliNTO/f Willi am BY W F255 5 a A TTORNEY Patented Feb. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES AIR VEHICLE William H. Boyes, Brook yn, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Murry Kopita and Joseph Wasserstein Befiled for abandoned application Serial No.

329,972, January 3,

1929. This application April 15, 1930, Serial No. 444,522

6 Claims.

My invention relates to air vehicles and its object is to construct a perfect means of transportation which has been the aim of many mechanics, engineers, inventors and scientists but up to this time thousands of air vehicles have been proposed and built but so far no safe passenger conveyance has ever been built that is a commercial success.

The main object of my invention is to build a perfect air vehicle adapted to be maneuvered, controlled and to utilize the various forces associated with the operation of the same advantageously.

Another object of my invention is to .design an air vehicle so that the various forces encountered in its operation are controlled from a common center.

A perfect air vehicle must be capable of moving at any angle from any position, either on the ground or in the air and also be capable of taking care of the wind pressure from any angle.

The propellers are arranged to drive the ship forward or backward, to guide it, to change the altitude, to do away with rudders, fins and stabilizers so that the ship can turn within its own length.

A further object of my invention is to design an air vehicle that possesses a means which will permit a pilot to move the vehicle from a standing position in the air, or while it is in flight, when on water or land along any angle radiating from the vehicles geometrical center to move it backward or forward at the same speed, to turn it within its own length, to hold the vehicle in a standing position, regardless of the angle or velocity of a wind.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a propelling force, arranged to take care of various forces exerted against the surface of the vehicle regardless of the angle of a wind, whether the machine is standing still or on the ground, water, air, or while it. is in flight.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a means to prevent a lighter-than-air machine from changing its altitude when the'lifting gas expands, or contracts, without the aid of ballast, by using a propelling force for maintaining the vessel positioned.

One valuable object of my invention is to provide a means for holding an air vehicle on an even level in case of an unbalanced load by utilizing a propelling force that is vertically directed.

Another valuable object of my invention is to provide a means of adjusting the center of grayity of the vehicle so as to hold the vessel on a level keel or in a state of stable equilibrium.

A further valuable object of my invention is to so design a machine, neutralize and equally balance various forces at the center of their action and distribute the same.

A still further valuable object of my invention is to provide a lighter than the air device with an adjustable propelling force adapted to be vertically utilized as a substitute for ballast so that a desired altitude may be obtained, without the use of ballast.

One feature of my invention is to provide a means that will prevent a lighter than the air machine from deviating on its angle of flight.

Another feature of my invention is to provide a vehicle designed with a geometrical center whereby all forces are equally balanced.

. A further feature of my invention is to design an air vehicle so that each force generated within the machine has a common center.

A still further feature of my invention is t divide the vehicle into equal geometrical sections which are connected rigidly together.

One valuable feature of my invention is to furnish an adjustable propelling force for every section wherein each engine or motor is mounted on a fork, which permits it to be turned in various positions so the propelling force can be directed along any radial angle and these forks are mounted on turntables so that the forks can be rotated horizontally, which permits the propelling force to be directed along any horizontal angle.

Another valuable feature of my invention is to build a parallelogrammatic frame for the further purpose of furnishing a commodious deck for the passengers, officers, crew, fuel, oil, baggage, mail and freight.

This frame is divided into twenty-four sections, so that each section and its part of the frame will be the same weight, and have only one twenty-fourth the strain of the whole vehicle, and for the further purpose of supporting the total weight on the vertical members of the frame.

The bottom ends of the vertical girders are equidistantly distributed, and attached thereto are the supporting wheels.

A further valuable feature of my invention is to use aparallelogrammatic frame to fasten four lifting-gas bags of oblong geometrical shape, so

that the whole vehicle can be divided into twentyfour geometrical parts or sections, ea h having the same weight and the same number and kind of forces.

A still further valuable feature of my invention is to support a large airship on wheels, equidistantly placed, to prevent strain by dividing its total weight into a number of parts each part to be supported by a wheel or wheels.

Another purpose of my invention is to build an air vehicle which will be capable of landing on water. l I

A further purpose of my invention consists in having an adjustable propelling force to regulate the amount ofwater displacement of the ships hull.

A still further purpose of my invention is touse an elevator for adjusting the center of gravity of the vehicle for loading and unloading passengers, crew, officers, mail, fuel and freight.

One valuable purpose of my invention is to provide a largecommodious deck for crew, passengers and all loads by using the parallelogrammatic frame connwting the four lifting bags.

It is well known in the art that air vehicles have been built, wherein a plurality of gas bag containers are arranged in balanced relation about a central framework, or in other words, four elongated cigar shaped gas bag containers. were joined in parallel relation, but in an extended frame structure which in cross section was substantially in the shape of a Greek'cross but none of these devices have been built wherein four balloons, each containing a multiple of gas bag containers were supported on each of the corners of a longitudinally extended duralumin structure of rectangular cross section, in such a manner that each of the corners constitutes the centerline of support of these containers, or in other words, the device consists substantially of a longitudinally extended structural duralumin framework, substantially of rectangular shape in cross section, upon the corners of which are fixed containers, each holding a multiple of gas bags.

Furthermore, none of these devices are wholly dependent upon a multiple of propelling units that are adapted to be used in substantially a position desired, thus doing away entirely with rudders and fins.

This application is substantially a copy of the application filed Jan. 3, 1929, bearing Serial Number 329,972 that became abandoned for lack of prosecution.

I attain these objects, features and purposes preferably by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein similar parts are given like numerals throughout the several views, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 7 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a detail in plan of one of the propelling means.

This device is built in such a manner that its centers of forces are arranged so that they have a mutual and relative interdependence on one another, and so that, if any one force becomes abnormally greater, either in action or volume, the effect of that force will be reduced in both volume and action by the centers of all the other forces which are acting at the time.

If there is a greater length-width or lengthheight difierence than a ratio of three-to-one, an airship of this type would not have suflicient strength to withstand the storms in the air 50 that it must be designed in such a way that these three dimensions are nearly alike.

ward, and some counteract winds at different.

angles, and some may be utilized for maintaining a desired altitude, this arrangement of adjustable propellers, equidistantly placed upon the duralumin structure is provided so that a pilot can move the vehicle in any direction at any angle very easily.

It is obvious that the propelling force of a theoretically perfect airship should be applied at the common center or the geometrical center of the vehicle.

The vessel then must be geometrical in shape with a geometrical center which must also be the common center for all the forces encountered.

If this geometrical shape is divided into sections, each section must be provided with a pro pelling power applicable to the geometrical center of the section and this power must be so. arranged that it can be applied in any direction.

It is also obvious that this principle can not be applied to a single unit vessel because of the insurmountable dificulties in applying the pros pelling forces at the geometrical center.

The forces encountered in airship construction are gravity, strain, stress, gyration, rotation, oscillation, centrifugal centripetal maneuverable, atmospheric, such as rain, snow, heat and cold, balastic, explosive, contractive and the forces that are associated with rudders, fins and stabilizers.

It has been found that an air hip to be structurally perfect should not have a greater length and width ratio or a greater length and height ratio than three-to-one.

It is obvious that a device that uses a large percentage of its propelling force and depends upon rudders, fins and stabilizers to keep it in the air and holding it in its path is not theoretically safe, so that a perfect airship should not be dependent upon rudders, fins or stabilizers.

The airship is built up of a parallelogrammatic structure comprising four horizontal girders l 2. ti and i, four intermediate girders t, l and. 8 and two cabin supporting girders and it.

These girders are held together by the horizontal cross girders ii, i2, 93, M, 55, ii, iii, l9 and 25) and the vertical girders shown by it, 22, 23, 2d and 25, the girders behind these being indicated by 2%, of which there are five.

The vertical and horizontal girders aforesaid cross each other as clearly shown in Figure 2, and these cross elements are tied together with each other and the frame rings 2? and 28, 29 and 36, as shown in Figure 2, over which are fixed the duralumin balloons El, 32, 5:33, 36, so that the structure is rigidly tied together.

Connecting the girders like 22 and 26 is the girder 35, of which there are five, one of which is shown in Figure 2, by 35, and these five girders are tied together by the girders 9 and id, upon Which the cabins 36 and 37, platform 38, and.

enclosing fence 39 are arranged, the two cabins spaced from the center.

Between these cabins is a gravity equalizing elevator 40, alsoshown by the dotted lines 4|,

which may be utilized and operated, controlled and positioned by means of the cables or the like 42, 43, 44 and 45. g

The elevator is for carrying passengers and freight and is at the theoretical center of the vessel structure, is adapted to be lowered at will and positioned to suit conditions.

At the bottom of each vertical girder like 2|, 22, 23, 24 and 25, and the five numbered by 26, in Figure 2, are pivoted in any suitable way and controlled in any suitable manner, the wheels 46, 41, 48, 49, 50 and El, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, so'that they may be moved at any remote point either individually or collectively.

To drive the vessel motors like 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 51, 58, 59, 50, BI, 62, 63, 64, 55, 66, 61, 68 and 69 and six shown by in Figure 2, are utilized, each motor pivoted at 69a, see Figure 3, controlled by the worm 10 and shaft II and mounted on a turntable 12 so that the motor may be revolved by the worm 13 and shaft 14 which shafts 1| and I4 controlled at any'remote point, may operate the motor or position the same as desired and thereby the vessel may be forced into any position or driven in any direction that is desired.

Having thus illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction or arrangement of parts shown, since it is evident that modifications may be made therein, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

comprising a rigid, elongated frame structure having a multiple of cross sectional shapes resembling a square with extensions on the corners and four elongated cylindrical containers serving as supporting mediums, secured in spaced relation to each other, having their longitudinal centerlines arranged at the corners of said square structure, said extensions and cross sectional shapes attached to said containers.

3. An air vehicle of the character described, comprising a rigid,elongated frame structure having a multiple of cross sectional shapes, connected together with a structural frame work,said shapes resembling a square with extensions on the corners projecting beyondv said frame work, said containers serving as supporting mediums .secured in spaced, parallel relation to each other, having their longitudinal centerlines arranged at the corners of the said square structure, said extensions and cross sectional shapes attached to said containers.

4. An air vehicle of the character described, comprising a rigid, elongated frame structure having a multiple of cross sectional shapes, connected together with a structural frame work, said shapes resembling a square with extensions on the corners and four elongated cylindrical containers projecting beyond said frame work, said containers serving as supporting mediums secured in spaced, parallel relation to each other, having their longitudinal centerlines arranged at the corners of the said square structure, said extensions and cross sectional shapes attached to said containers and a structural framework attached to said cross sectional squares, centrally arranged with respect to the multiple of said cross sectional squares.

5. An air vehicle of the character described, in claim 1, with a series of propelling units mounted on a structure between said containers.

6. An air vehicle of the character described, in claim 1, with a series of propelling units mounted upon a structure between said containers and a cabin mounted at the geometric center of the said structure.

WILLIAM H. BOYES. 

